


The 9:13 From Paddington

by AXEe



Series: Lucky Thirteen [9]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, Time Lord Rose Tyler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-16 11:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17549063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: As thanks for the idea! :=)Hello all! Part Nine of "Lucky Thirteen"! And with a special guest appearance by my favorite Doctor! So please enjoy! :=)





	1. Only the Best

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KhaleesiCrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KhaleesiCrow/gifts).



> As thanks for the idea! :=)
> 
> Hello all! Part Nine of "Lucky Thirteen"! And with a special guest appearance by my favorite Doctor! So please enjoy! :=)

******

**A Long Time Ago…**

The Doctor groaned as he set the TARDIS for a random destination. The girl, Rose Tyler, dominated his thoughts, the first bit of brightness in his life since the Time War, a plucky, _fantastic_ little human being. She’d been so brave, asking questions, challenging him, refusing to just sit back; she had even saved him back there with the Nestene Consciousness.

And then she’d turned him down. Rejected his offer to travel with him. And as much as it hurt, he couldn’t force her to travel with him.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the TARDIS suddenly violently shuddering, listing first to right then to left before landing hard enough to send him to the floor. Wincing at the bump on his head, he got to his feet and pulled up the scanner, only for static to fill the small screen.

Scowling, he turned and pulled open the door, peering out to find himself in what looked like a train station. This was confirmed by the sign almost directly above his head reading ‘PADDINGTON STATION’, a large clock to his left revealed that it was nine thirteen in the morning.

But despite this fact, the platform was empty, eerily silent, dropped bags and a few articles of clothing scattered about indicated that people had been there, but had left in a frantic hurry; a high heel shoe, an overturned and empty baby stroller, a grocery bag dripping what looked like melted ice cream on the floor.

Feeling more than a little unnerved by the silence, The Doctor sidestepped the scattered items and looked around for signs of life, sharply turning at a sudden pounding sound from a door marked ‘AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY’.

Tensing, he withdrew his sonic and aimed it at the door, jumping back as it suddenly _exploded_ open, breaking into two halves as it came _flying_ off its hinges at him, something large and vaguely insect-like frantically scurrying out, mandibles clacking as it turned to face him. it was large, resembling a centipede or millipede with a large circular gaping mouth.

Rearing up, it lunged for him, slamming into the floor, cracking it as he rolled out of its path and surged to his feet.

“Right! Who are you?!” he demanded as the creature turned to face him, a whip-like tendril suddenly shooting out of its ‘mouth’ to wrap tightly around his hand and wrist, yanking him forward with incredible strength, his boots skidding on the floor as he struggled back against the creature’s grip.

With a thunderous crash, a light fixture suddenly broke free from the ceiling to land directly on the creature’s appendage, pinning it to the floor and freeing him from its grip, the sudden release throwing him back to land on his back.

Getting to his feet, he grunted as a hand suddenly closed around his, fingers tangling with his own. Turning, he found himself staring into sparkling brown eyes framed by blonde hair.

“ _Run!!_ ” Rose Tyler yelled as he pulled him along down the length of the platform…


	2. Seeing Double

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter TWO! Enjoy! :=)

******

Rose panted as she ran, pulling the Ninth Doctor along with her, she wondered what he was doing here, but a roar from the rapidly-pursuing creature tabled that thought for the time being and, sparing a brief glance over her shoulder, she pushed herself harder, dragging the Time Lord behind her.

“What are you doing here?!” she demanded over the roars of the creature.

“What am I doing here?! What are you doing here?!” he countered as she awkwardly aimed her sonic screwdriver behind her, causing another light fixture to break loose from the ceiling to temporarily block the creature’s path.

Panting for breath, she dragged her charge around the corner, spotting the familiar blue of the TARDIS.

“Doctor!” she yelled as Ryan and Graham came skidding around the corner.

“What’s happened?” Graham asked

“Talk later, run now” Rose panted out

“Who’s he?” Ryan asked

“I’m The Doctor” The Doctor introduced himself.

Ryan and Graham looked between each other.

“No, seriously, who are you?” Graham asked as the creature suddenly peered around the corner, smashing into part of the wall “right! Never mind!” Graham exclaimed as the four of them sprinted off down the platform.

“Where is she?” Rose panted out

“Through here!” Graham pointed, all but falling through a narrow doorway, the others toppling through after him as Yaz and The Doctor lunged to slam the door shut and pushed a desk in front of it.

“Rose!” The Doctor swept her wife up into a firm embrace “are you all right? What happened? Did you see it? What did it…look…like…” she trailed off as she saw the other Time Lord standing there.

Gapping, she turned back to Rose, looking between the two.

“Erm…what’s he doing here?” she asked.

Rose shrugged

“Thought you could tell me,” she panted out “aren’t there rules about this?”

“Used to be,” The Doctor nodded as she turned to her past self “so, what brings you by?” she asked.

He stared at her, and for a moment it was a game of ‘Time Lord see, Time Lord do’.

“You have got to be kidding me” Nine exclaimed

“Nope” she grinned

“Sorry, but who is this?” Yaz asked

“He’s The Doctor” Rose answered.

“Sorry, what?” Yaz asked

“No, he is,” The Doctor nodded “one of my past selves,” she turned to the others “fam, this is The Doctor. Doctor, meet the fam” she grinned…


	3. Trapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter THREE! Enjoy! :=)

******

“How can _he_ be _you?_ ” Yaz asked

“Remember how I told you that I was a white-haired Scotsman?” The Doctor asked, at Yaz’s somewhat befuddled nod, she gestured to the newcomer “meet one of the blokes that came before the white-haired Scotsman”

“He’s the first Doctor I met,” Rose picked up “the one who started it all for me” she added with a smirk.

She and Nine stared at each other.

“You turned me down” he stated

“I did,” Rose nodded “and it was because you forgot the mention the best part about the TARDIS” she explained.

“Oh? And what’s that?” he challenged.

Rose smirked, stepping into his personal space to whisper in his ear.

“ _That it also travels in time_ ” she breathed.

“Rose,” The Doctor coughed, causing Rose to pull away with a blush “I know it’s not technically cheating, but could stop flirting for a second?” she asked.

Rose stuck her tongue out at her wife, who responded in kind.

“ _Anyway,_ ” Yaz began loudly, a blush tainting her own cheeks “we found something interesting” she turned back to the various security monitors on the wall and pulled up some footage.

“This footage was taken when the nine AM train arrived,” The Doctor explained “now, watch”

As the group leaned in, they watched as the train pulled to a stop, the doors opening. Instantly, the passengers waiting on the platform panicked, there was no accompanying sound, but the fear and terror among the rapidly-fleeing passengers was clear.

“I don’t understand,” Graham shook his head “what are they running from? I mean there’s nothing there”

“Nothing that we can _see_ you mean,” Nine pointed out “could be some kind of perception filter masking its appearance. Probably related to the creature out that”

“What did it look like?” The Doctor wondered

“Big,” Rose answered “like a giant caterpillar almost,” she explained. She shook her head “this doesn’t make any sense,” she sighed “where is everyone else? Why isn’t UNIT here to try and investigate?”

“I don’t know,” The Doctor admitted “but I suspect that the giant thing out there is the cause of the webbing we found all around the entrances”

“Webbing?” Nine echoed

“Something like webbing anyway,” Rose nodded “its covering all the entrances,” she explained “we’re trapped in here”


	4. The Bravest Nineteen Year Old

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FOUR! Enjoy! :=)

******

The Doctor looked up as his future self approached.

“If you’re trying to access the rest of the security footage, I’ve already tried,” she explained “they’ve all been wiped clean”

“Never hurts to double-check,” he remarked. He frowned “so are you the next one?” he wondered “after me, I mean?”

“No,” she shook her head “not for awhile, at least,” she added. She frowned, studying him “you’re jealous” she accused with a grin.

He gave her a baleful look.

“Bit of an ego now, eh?” he asked.

“Nah, not really,” she dismissed, leaning against the wall “well…no more so than usual,” she added “I just know you,” he explained “and you _are_ jealous of me. Why? Because I have Rose,” she stepped forward, leaning towards him “and before you ask, yes, it was that easy to get her to travel with us,” she grinned “time travel, the whole of time and space at her fingertips with you by her side, oh how could she resist?”

She reached out, resting her hand on his arm, smiling softly

“You’re not alone,” she explained “because you have her”

******

A few feet away, idly kicking her legs, Rose perched atop the desk that was being used to block the door, absently shifting over as Graham joined her.

“So…,” he began “that bloke over there was the first version of The Doctor you met”

She nodded.

“Yep”

Graham nodded in response.

“You miss him” he stated.

“Yeah,” she smiled bittersweetly “not that I don’t love who she is now,” she added quickly “but…” she trailed off, looking thoughtful.

“The one that got away, eh?” Graham chuckled

“Something like that,” she nodded, chuckling herself “god, I was _so_ young back then, only nineteen. Did you know that?” she asked. He shook his head “nineteen years old,” she mused “basically still just a kid, when you think about it. And I gave it all up, a job, home, my Mum, friends, all of it. Just…chucked it all out to travel the universe with a madman in a blue box,” her expression turned thoughtful again “in a way, we changed each other,” she remarked “back then he was…broken, and I’d like to think I helped him heal in some way”

“Broken how?” Graham wondered

She shook her head

“Not my place to say” she explained

“Fair enough,” Graham nodded “nineteen years old you say?” he mused. She nodded “pretty brave nineteen year old if you ask me,” he remarked “no, I mean it,” he insisted at her dubious expression “when I was nineteen…,” he trailed off “well…let’s just say that, if it were me, I don’t think I’d be brave enough to do that” he smiled at her, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey,” Ryan suddenly called out “I think we found something”

Pushing off the desk, Rose and Graham came over to where he and Yaz had been scrutinizing the security footage, followed by the two Doctors.

“What’d you find?” The Doctor asked as she leaned over her wife’s shoulder.

“Well,” Yaz began “we were going back over the security footage from when all of this started and we found…this.”

She tapped a key, the same footage from earlier appearing on the screen

“There!” Yaz paused the image “see? Right there in the upper right. Here, let me go back” she rewound the footage and then played it again. Watching the sport on the screen intently, they all saw as one fleeing man was suddenly yanked back by something that still didn’t appear on film, his entire form suddenly vanishing as if pulled behind something.

“What is that?” Rose asked “was he…eaten?” she wondered

“No,” Nine shook his head “don’t think so. Play it again? Yeah, there, see? That flash”

“Oh! Clever!” The Doctor breathed “it’s a teleport pulse!” she exclaimed “that worm/caterpillar thing that you and he found are some kind of…teleporters”

“But…teleporters don’t appear in nature” Rose commented

“No,” The Doctor agreed “which means that whatever these things are, they’re not natural”

“You mean…somebody made them?” Ryan asked hesitantly.

“Exactly,” The Doctor nodded “that, combined with the webbing all over the entrances and the perception filters, means that somebody is responsible for this. Now, the question is, who and why?”


	5. Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FIVE! Enjoy! :=)

******

The platform was quiet and empty; the mid-afternoon sunlight streaming in from the windows did nothing to alleviate the sense of _wrongness_ that the silence brought.

Sticking close together, the travelers made their way towards the still-idle nine AM train. Aiming her sonic at the doors, The Doctor took a breath as they slid open.

“ _Mind the gap_ ” an automated voice warned as they slowly entered the train, finding a similar environment as the one on the platform; strewn personal items scattered about the interior of the car.

“Right,” The Doctor breathed “Rose, take…me and go and check the front car, the rest of us will check the rear”

“Got it,” Rose nodded, heading off to the front car, the Ninth Doctor following her…

******

The Doctor stared at Rose as he followed her down the aisle.

“There’s something different about you” he noted as she opened the door with her sonic.

“People change,” she dismissed “it’s been a long time since I traveled with you”

“So you stayed” he stated.

She paused, nodding.

“Yeah,” she confirmed “mind you it would have been nice if you told me about regeneration before it happened, gave me one hell of a fright”

“It’s personal,” he dismissed “private for us,” he explained as he ran his own sonic over the door “got some more of that webbing here” he noted.

“Yeah,” Rose scanned the dangling strand, studying her sonic as the results came through “its silicon,” she noted “pure silicon”

“Definitely not natural, then,” The Doctor noted “did she give that to you?” he wondered, nodding towards her sonic.

“Oh, no,” she shook her head “no, I made this one myself,” she explained “but the next you gave me one of my own”

“Be pretty hard for a Human to make a sonic screwdriver on her own,” he commented. He aimed his sonic at her, scanning her “two hearts,” he noted. He posture became defensive “who are you? Really?” he asked.

“Like I said,” she sighed “people change, I’m still Rose Tyler, still that girl who you saved in the basement from living shop window dummies, just…different,” she smirked somewhat humorlessly as she stepped in his personal space “I guess you could say I regenerated” she remarked. She put a hand over her second heart, tapping the area “biological Time Lord-Human metacrisis,” she explained “part Human, part Time Lord”

“That’s impossible” he stated.

Her smirk widened.

“Funny, you already said that,” she remarked dryly “and yet…,” she spread her arms “here I am. Still alive, still sane, four hundred and twelve years later”

Turning, she soniced the next door open and stepped through it, The Doctor following her moments later…

******

“So, if he’s you from the past,” Yaz began “doesn’t that mean that you already know what’s going to happen?”

The Doctor shook her head.

“Doesn’t work that way,” she explained “our timelines aren’t in sync, so he can’t remember any of this, therefore I can’t”

“Maybe that’s a good thing then,” Graham remarked “’cause that bloke don’t look like he’ll take too kindly to the fact that you and Rose are married”

The Doctor laughed.

“Oh no, you’re quite wrong about that, Graham, he’d be thrilled actually,” she explained. She paused “see, Rose and I…” she began, suddenly trailing off.

“Love at first sight?” Yaz reasoned.

The soft smile on The Doctor’s face was more than enough of an answer.

“Yeah,” she agreed softly “what’s that?” she pointed at something behind Ryan. Crossing over to where he was standing, she reached up and pulled the small item off the wall “definitely not native,” she noted, turning it over “looks almost like…a transponder of some kind” she murmured.

“Transponder for what?” Ryan wondered

“Good question,” The Doctor nodded “let’s ask the other me” she declared…

******

Reaching the front car, Rose and The Doctor looked around, finding that the entire interior of the car was covered in the same webbing.

“Not good” Rose remarked.

“No,” he agreed. He frowned and took a step back “do you see that?”

Frowning, Rose mimicked him, noting how the webbing seemed to be shaped, almost sculpted into a distinct form and pattern rather than just being randomly sprayed around the car.

“It’s almost like a…doorway” she realized

“Yeah,” he nodded as he pulled out his sonic “but a doorway to where?”

As soon as he started scanning it, the webbing began to glow, pulsing patterns of light coursing along its surface as the air became charged with static electricity…

******

In the rear car, the others watched as thousands of glowing strands of webbing suddenly expanded over the windows of the car, humming and pulsing.

“Uh-oh” The Doctor muttered as the humming reached a deafening whistling sound, forcing them to cover their ears as a brilliant light suddenly filled the entire train…


	6. Room Without a View

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIX! Enjoy! :=)

******

The Doctor groaned as she opened her eyes, wincing at the pounding headache. Rubbing at her forehead, she blinked as her vision swam and blurred, a face finally coming into focus.

“Oh. It’s you” she grumbled.

“Nice to see you too” her past self grumbled as he sat back while she slowly sat up with a wince.

“Where’re the others?” she asked.

“Don’t know,” he answered “looks like it’s just us in here”

“Where _is_ ‘here’?” she wondered, looking around. The walls were an off-white cream color, seeming to softly glow, while a gentle humming thrummed in the background, the sound almost comforting in a way.

“Well this is different,” she remarked as she stood up, wincing “ah, OK!” her hand flew to her side “OK! Ohh! That’s my ecto-spleen! Oh! I can feel it resettling!” panting as the wave of pain ebbed, she slowly straightened up “where’s Rose? Did you see her?”

“No”

Frowning, she dug into the fanny pack around her waist, pulling out her sonic.

“Check your pockets?” she wondered.

In answer he held up his own sonic.

“So…,” she began “they either don’t think the sonics are a threat. _Or…_ ”

“…they aren’t a threat,” he nodded as he scanned the walls, looking for a doorway of some kind and finding none “they must have teleported us right in here” he mused

“Yeah…,” she agreed slowly “question: why separate us? And why put the two of us in the same room? With our sonics?”

“You tell me,” he scoffed “you’re the more experienced one”

She put her hands on her hips.

“That suppose to mean something?” she challenged.

“Don’t know,” he crossed his arms, leaning against the wall “you tell me”

“You tell me,” she countered “were our ears really that big?” she wondered.

“You’re one to talk,” he scoffed “boots with a rainbow-stripped shirt?”

“Oi!”

“Oi!”

“Oi!”

“Oi!”

She sighed, pinching at her nose.

“Well, there’s an upside to this” she sighed

“Oh really? What’s that?”

“At least Rose isn’t here to see us acting like children”

“True”


	7. The Ultimate Prize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SEVEN! Enjoy! :=)

******

Rose winced, swallowing against the urge to vomit as she weakly opened her eyes, cringing at the brightness surrounding her. Taking a breath, her knees feeling like jelly, she shakily got to her feet, looking around her surroundings.

The ‘room’ she was in (for lack of a better word) was circular, the walls curving out like the inside of a tube while the floor and ceiling were flat and smooth, emitting a gentle warmth and Rose suddenly felt like she was inside a doughnut.

Running her hands across the walls, she frowned as she looked for an opening or seam of some kind, finding none, as if the entire room had been molded from one solid piece of material.

Looking around she found that she was utterly alone; there was no one else in the room. Feeling slightly unnerved by the sudden loneliness, she took a breath, rooting around in her pockets for her sonic, finding it exactly where’d she left it.

Scanning the walls, she found that they were made of some kind of plastic-like material. Pressing her hand against it, she found that it bowed out slightly, flexing. Sighing, she dropped her hand and scowled at the ceiling, frowning as she noticed a distinct seam in the surface that hadn’t been there before.

Pulling out her sonic again, she scanned it, finding that it was an opening of something. As she watched, the seam widened, spreading out into a hexagon before the segment inside the seam suddenly spread out, opening like a camera iris, some kind of force suddenly pulling her up through the opening.

Grunting as she found herself standing on what appeared to be thin air, she looked around, finding the others each standing on similar hexagons.

“Everyone all right?” she called out

“Yeah,” Graham called back “more or less” he added, giving the space beneath his feet a dubious look.

“Anybody seen The Doctors?” Rose called

“No,” Ryan answered “I woke up by myself”

“Me too” Yaz added

“Yeah, same here” Graham nodded

“That makes all of us,” Rose muttered as she looked around, finding that the area they were suspended in was a large, towering hexagonal room “so, what’d you think? Spaceship?” she asked no one in particular.

From the center of the room, another hexagon appeared, floating in midair, slowly rotating, a symbol appearing on it before it too ‘opened’, a face appearing on its surface.

“ _Welcome,_ ” a deep, gravely voice boomed “ _you have been chosen for a high honor_ ” it declared.

“Who are you?” Rose demanded.

“ _Here, you will face others for the ultimate prize_ ” the voice continued as if she hadn’t spoken

“Yeah, I think we got the voicemail here” Graham commented as the voice continued.

“ _Behold,_ ” the voice suddenly boomed “ _your champions_ ” as two more hexagons appeared, The Doctors appearing across the room from Rose and the others.

“Rose! You all right?” The Doctor called out, waving as she did,

“Yeah,” Rose called “you?”

“We’re OK,” she called back “any idea what’s going on?” she wondered

“Not a clue” Rose called back as a ‘floor’ appeared beneath them all, other people appearing around them as the opening in the hexagon in the center of the room widened, several objects dropping from it to the floor in a clattering heap.

“Guys?” Yaz questioned dubiously “those look like…”

“Weapons,” Rose stated. Looking up, she saw several other hexagons appear in the surface of the walls, like windows almost. Turning back, she looked around the room, feeling her stomach drop.

“It’s a death match,” she realized “we’re suppose to fight each other”


	8. Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter EIGHT! Enjoy! :=)

******

The other people were clearly the abductees from the train and from Paddington Station. A mixed slice of Londoners from all walks of life—the young, the old, men, women, even children, all huddled together staring at the pile of weapons on the floor, all of which were wicked, blades, knives, swords, axes.

The Doctor glanced at her past self as he picked up a sword, giving it an experimental swing.

“Nasty piece of business this” he remarked, tossing it away in disgust.

“Agreed,” she nodded, absently kicking an axe out of her way as she walked across the invisible platform towards Rose “you all right?” she asked

“Yeah,” Rose nodded “you two?” she asked as the two Doctors approached her.

“Fantastic”

“What he said”

“I don’t know about you lot,” Graham began “but I ain’t doing this”

“No, definitely not,” The Doctor nodded. She turned to the huddled mass of people “hi, I’m The Doctor,” she greeted “this is Rose, and these are our friends, Graham, Ryan, and Yaz. Oh, and he’s also The Doctor,” she gestured to her past self “long story. So, who’s in charge here? Anyone?”

A woman holding tightly to a middle-aged corgi dog held up a hand.

“Good,” The Doctor nodded “what’s your name?”

“Erin” she answered shakily

“All right, Erin, we’re all going to have to work together to get out of here, OK?” at Erin’s nod, The Doctor looked up at the ceiling, cupping her hands over her mouth “CAN WE SPEAK TO THE MAN—OR WOMAN—IN CHARGE?” she called out.

In answer, the rotating hexagon appeared once more

“ _Speak_ ” the same gravely voice commanded

“Who are you?” Rose demanded, coming to stand between The Doctors.

“ _No questions_ ”

“So…gladiator fights, eh?” The Doctor asked “yeah…we’re not going to do this. In fact, _none_ of us are going to do this. _Ever_ ”

“ _It has been promised,_ ” the voice proclaimed “ _dozens enter, one leaves. That is our way. As it has been for centuries_ ”

“Well that ‘way’ of yours _ends_ right now” Rose stated.

“ _There is an alternative_ ” the voice declared. Three more hexagons appeared, a swarm of the creatures appearing, lunging for the passengers, many of them frantically grabbing the weapons and hacking and slicing at the creatures, killing several only for each fallen creature to be replaced by a fresh one.

“ _Gang! Get those people to safety!_ ” The Doctor cried. Turning back, she gulped as three creatures bore down on her, her past self and Rose.

“Right,” she breathed, raising her sonic “three of them, three of us,” Rose and The Doctor aimed their own sonics “nobody miss”

The three sonics buzzed, a rippling cone of energy pushing the creatures back towards the hexagons

“Everybody jump!” Nine ordered, he, Rose, and The Doctor leapt through the hexagonal portal…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is a Latin phrase for "Hail Emperor, those who are about to die salute you". It was reportedly spoken in AD 52 at Lake Fucinus by a group of captives and condemned criminals who fought in a mock naval battle for the emperor Claudius. Claudius reportedly replied "Aut non" ("Or not"). Despite its popularity, the phrase doesn't appear in many ancient sources, and historians doubt it was ever used expect for that one incident, and Roman historians included it along with Claudius' reprieve granted to the survivors


	9. Heralds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter NINE! Enjoy! :=)

******

Rose grunted as she and The Doctors landed in a crumpled heap of tangled limbs. Groaning, she pushed at whoever was on top of her.

“Get off!” she groaned

“Oh, that’s a nice thing to hear from your wife”

Getting to their feet, the trio looked around, finding themselves in another hexagonal-shaped corridor. Swinging her arm up, Rose scanned up ahead.

“I’ve got three life-signs” she announced.

“Yeah, same here,” The Doctor nodded as she and her past self flanked Rose protectively as three shadows approached “who are you?” The Doctor demanded as the three figures approached. They were small, about three feet tall, resembling bald teddy bears with wrinkled pink skin and bulging, bug-eyes, and Rose found herself grimacing at the sight of them, ‘adorable’ was not a word that could be used to describe them.

“Who are you?” Nine demanded

“ _We are Von’oth, humble servants who serve the Almighty Ones._ ” one declared, the deep, gravely voice a direct contrast to their small stature “ _it is our sacred duty to weed out the weak and undesirable for our Masters_ ”

“And just ‘who’ are your masters?” The Doctor wondered.

“ _They are the Almighty Ones,_ ” was the zealous answer “ _conquers of the Nine Systems. Behold and tremble before our masters’ power. Behold…the Stenza_ ”

“The Stenza?” Rose breathed. She looked to her wife “that’s…” she trailed off as The Doctor nodded.

“What do you masters want with these people?” she demanded

“ _To hone their skills_ ”

“To get better at killing you mean?” Rose scoffed.

“ _It is not our place to question our masters’ will_ ” the lead Von’oth declared as more of the caterpillar-like creatures approached, flanking the three Von’oth protectively.

“On three?” Nine asked.

“ _Three!_ ” the two blondes declared simultaneously, swinging their sonics up. Instantly the three caterpillars went berserk, shrieking and violently trashing against the walls.

“ _Stop!_ ” the Von’oth raged “ _stop! You interfere with our work!!_ ”

“Good!” Rose spat as she found and tore open a panel on the wall “found the teleport subroutine!” she announced

“Can you reset it?” Nine demanded over the roars of the creatures.

Rose grinned at him

“You tell me, you taught me” she chuckled. Priming her sonic, the controls lit up; a burst of light enveloping the three. Reappearing in the arena, they found Yaz and the others huddled tightly together with the passengers as the caterpillars went berserk, attacking one another.

“Right! Everyone together!” The Doctor ordered “tight as you can!” as the group clustered together, she and Rose aimed their sonics high at the ceiling “come on, come on…” she pleaded as the teleport engaged again, the disoriented group finding themselves back at Paddington Station.

“Everyone OK?” Rose panted out.

“Yeah,” Graham called out “think so”

“Look!” Yaz pointed, the webbing covering the train was suddenly dissolving, swiftly vanishing without a trace.

“It’s gone” Ryan exclaimed

“It’s over” Rose breathed…


	10. Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter TEN! Enjoy! :=)

******

“It’s over” Rose panted out as she took a breath

“Or not” The Doctor said to her left as he nodded up towards the ceiling. Looking up, Rose groaned in exasperation as another hexagon appeared, wheeling open into a wide opening, a _massive_ version of the caterpillar creatures suddenly dropping down to the floor with a thunderous crash.

As large as the still-idle train, it moved down the platform with frightening speed, its glossy carapace gleaming wetly under the lights.

“ _Move! Move!!_ ” The Doctors ordered as the group rushed down the platform in a frantic, panicked mass as the creature easily overturned the train in its pursuit.

Hanging back, Rose and The Doctors hurriedly ushered the passengers to safety, rushing after them, Rose finding herself between either Doctor.

“You said ‘wife’!”

“What?” Rose panted out, exchanging a look with her wife.

“You said ‘wife’!” Nine repeated “wife?!” he demanded, glaring at his future self “you married her?!”

“Oh! Like you haven’t thought about it!” The Doctor countered

“I just met her!”

“That didn’t stop you from thinking about it!”

“Can we please not do this _now_?!” Rose pleaded as they skidded around a corner, flattening themselves against the wall as the creature loomed nearby. Withdrawing their sonics, the three burst from their hiding place and aimed their sonics at the creature, forcing it back with a shimmering wall of sound.

“Push it back! Push it back!” Rose yelled over the creature’s roars.

“Back to the portal!” The Doctor yelled as they forced the creature back towards the platform and the portal it emerged from “easy! Easy!” she warned “we need to reverse the polarity!” she ordered “but we need to all do it at once. Ready?”

“Ready”

“Ready”

“OK…and… _NOW!!_ ”

The sonics buzzed, the portal spinning in the opposite direction, pulling the various scattered items on the platform up into it. As it did, the creature began to visibly struggle against the pull, its multiple legs now frantically scrabbling for purchase on the floor as it reared back, arching violently into a semicircle as it was pulled off the floor and through the portal.

“ _Close it! Close it!_ ” The Doctor yelled over the howling wind from the portal, feeling her feet sliding on the floor “ _CLOSE IT!!!_ ”

With a bright flash the portal wheeled shut, vanishing with a deep, rumbling explosion of sound.

Collapsing into a tangled pile, The Doctors and Rose all took a breath.

“Well…,” The Doctor began “that was fun”


	11. The Best Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter ELEVEN! Enjoy! Only one more to go! :=)

******

The platform buzzed with various armed troops from UNIT as the passengers were examined by paramedics, while UNIT agents swarmed around the overturned train, examining it for anything of interest.

Standing off to the side, leaning against the wall, worn leather jacket glinting in the light, Rose watched it all with a bored, detached air, turning as a set of footsteps approached.

“You did good back there” The Doctor commented as he joined her, mimicking her pose.

“Thanks” she nodded.

“So…wife” he mused

“Wife,” she nodded “problem?” she challenged “going to make some comment about ‘stupid apes’?” she teased. Smirking at his good-natured smile, she turned to face him fully “I miss this you,” she breathed “you were so…mysterious, compelling”

“You make me sound like something out of a soap opera” he muttered disgustedly as his future self came over

“Soap opera?” she asked, looking between the two “personally I always thought he was more like a character out of Dickens”

“Oh that could work too” Rose nodded.

The Doctor scoffed as he looked between the two blondes on either side of him.

“I won’t remember this, will I?” he remarked

“The timelines aren’t in sync,” Rose shook her head “but,” she reached out, gently touching her fingertips to his temple, a shimmer of golden glowing dust swirling around the point of contact for a second “you’ll remember enough” she promised.

“You’re a very strange person, Rose Tyler” he remarked.

“You like strange” she reminded him.

“Quite right,” he nodded. He pushed off the wall “guess it’s time for me to go,” he remarked. He paused as he turned towards his TARDIS—still parked where he’d left it—staring at the two women, looking between them, finally settling on his future self.

“Are you happy?” he asked.

She smiled and nodded.

“Of course I am,” she answered “I’ve got Rose” she explained with a grin as she wrapped an arm around Rose’s shoulders, pulling her close. Smirking, he nodded as he turned to his TARDIS, pausing as Rose lightly touched his arm.

“Wait,” she said as he turned around “since you won’t remember this,” she breathed “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time” suddenly surging forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a brief but passionate kiss.

Pulling away, she smiled sheepishly up at him as she snapped her fingers, the TARDIS doors opening.

Still looking more than a little gobsmacked, he stepped through the doors, the doors quieting shutting on their own accord.

“He won’t remember that” Rose remarked wistfully as she took her wife’s hand.

“No,” The Doctor agreed as they watched the TARDIS dematerialize “but you will,” she reminded her “and, I will” she added with a wink, pulling Rose into a soft kiss…

******

As the TARDIS spun away through the time vortex, The Doctor absently drummed his fingers on the console, thinking about the girl, Rose Tyler. Suddenly inspired, he leapt into action, flipping switches and turning dials, the TARDIS landing with a soft shudder.

Turning to the doors, he pulled them open, finding Rose where he’d left her just—from her perspective—a few seconds ago.

Grinning at her, he leaned against the doors.

“By the way, did I also mention that it travels in time?” he asked…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins.. :=)


	12. Warm and Safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Chapter twelve! The final chapter! Enjoy! :=)

******

The bathwater in the TARDIS was always warm.

Sighing as she stretched out in the tub, Rose felt the warm water relax her store and achy body as she felt the water slosh. Opening her eyes, she blinked in surprise as The Doctor stretched of opposite her.

“This is nice” The Doctor sighed.

“Yeah,” Rose agreed “you know,” she began “we have to stop doing this, meeting past versions of you”

“Oi, don’t blame me,” The Doctor objected as she shifted, unearthing a now-wet sock from the water. Wrinkling her nose, she tossed it aside “besides,” she added “meeting ol’ number nine isn’t the worst meeting we’ve had. Remember that time there were three of me?”

“Oh don’t remind me,” Rose groaned good-naturedly “I still get a headache every time I try to make sense of it all,” she exclaimed “still,” she added somewhat wistfully “it was nice seeing you again. And meeting the others”

The Doctor smiled as she leaned forward, pressing herself against Rose, skin-to-skin, snuggling up under Rose’s chin.

“Maybe we could pop by sometime,” she laughed “give some of my grumpier selves a shock”

“Like Granddad?” Rose laughed, absently stroking The Doctor’s wet hair “I quite liked him,” she admitted “he was you in the truest sense”

The Doctor looked up at her in surprise

“You think so?” she asked

“Yeah,” Rose nodded “I do”

The Doctor smiled, leaning in to press a kiss to Rose’s lips

“ _Thank you_ ” she breathed as Rose gently kissed her back…

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! The end of "The 9:13 From Paddington"! I hope everyone enjoyed it, and thanks to everyone who left comments and kudos :=). Up next: Not sure, but it'll be fun, I can promise you that, so keep an eye out! :=).
> 
> Thanks again! :=)
> 
> \--AXEe :=)

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


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